Prumnopitys harmsiana

Botanical Description

Prumnopitys harmsiana is an evergreen tree with ascending and spreading branches that form a rounded crown; it can grow up to 35 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 180cm in diameter[ 329 Title The Gymnosperm Database Publication Author Website http://www.conifers.org/index.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms. ]. A valuable timber tree, it is commonly harvested from the wild for commercial use. As with most tropical podocarp species Prumnopitys harmsiana is threatened by local use in the form of selective logging for construction purposes. Other threats include forest clearance for agricultural purposes. However, this species has a widespread distribution and, although on a national level in countries such as Ecuador and Colombia it should be considered as being threatened due to small subpopulations and pressures from deforestation, its area of occupancy globally is estimated to be beyond the threshold for Vulnerable. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].